Encyclopedia of U.S.-Latin American Relations

General Description and How to Contribute

The Encyclopedia of U.S.-Latin American Relations is to be published in two volumes by Routledge. The Encyclopedia will serve as a standard, comprehensive reference work for universities, and larger public libraries.

The Encyclopedia will provide sweeping coverage of U.S.-Latin American Relations. The purpose of each article is to be descriptive, to provide analysis where possible, and to place each topic within the larger context of U.S-Latin American Relations. Each entry will define, clarify, and summarize the subject for its audience. Please provide as full a description of your topic as your word assignment will allow, and, if appropriate, summarize any competing views of the topic, but do not argue a specific point of view or take sides. If there are competing theories and opinions on the subject first emphasize what happened or provide a complete description of the topic and then point out the directions of differing historians on the subject.

Because the primary reader will be a nonspecialist, bear in mind that as encyclopedia entries-rather than as academic articles—these essays should provide a general introduction to the material. In other words, previous knowledge about the subject cannot be presupposed, and language understood only by specialists should be avoided. Thus, write in a clear and concise prose style (i.e., write as if you were explaining the topic to an undergraduate in a survey course on the subject) and avoid complex terminology and jargon. Please explain potentially unfamiliar terms the first time they are mentioned.

How to Contribute:

Please review the List of Articles and contact Professor Leonard with your preferred articles. He will review your preferences and assign those articles that remain unassigned.

Email Professor Leonard: tleonard@unf.edu

Contributor Fees:

Contributors will receive honoraria for the essays they write, payable upon publication of the Encyclopedia. You will receive a free copy of the encyclopedia for the first 2000 words you contribute and a fee rate of U.S. $50 per thousand words thereafter. If you contribute less than 2000 words you are paid a fee rate of U.S. $50 per thousand words. Payments are based on the cumulative number of words for all assignments.

In addition, contributors will be able to purchase copies of the work at a twenty percent discount. The names of authors will be listed at the ends of essays as well as on a list of contributors at the beginning of the book.

The Basics:

(For more details see the Guidelines for Contributors section.)

Please write to the length specified, and not notably longer nor notably shorter without checking with Routledge first. Generally, articles should be no more, nor less than 10 percent of the assigned word count.
Please be very careful with facts. Although all material will be edited for substance and for style, we will not be able to check all the information that you provide. If sources disagree on an important point of fact, discuss that in a brief cover note to the editor.
Remember that the Encyclopedia is intended for the general reader as well as undergraduate and other nonspecialist academic users. It is imperative to avoid excessive verbal density and to explain the meaning of all key terms. Historical material needs to be clear to modern readers, who often will not remember the person, events, or issues described.
Keep in mind that the Encyclopedia seeks to avoid repeating basic information that can be found in other reference works. It intends to be analytical in nature, always focusing on the importance of the subject as it pertains to the theme of the encyclopedia.
Please list at the end of the essay any relevant encyclopedia articles from the headword list that you feel should be cross-referenced.
Please provide 4 to 10 citations in the "References and Further Reading" to direct readers to more information on the topic. Be sure to see the criteria outlined in the "References and Further Reading" section of the Guidelines for Contributors. Articles on persons should also contain a list of "Selected Works" and should only include those that are most essential.
Please do not use footnotes within text, at bottom of page, or at end of entry. Any sources given or quoted in the text should appear in the References and Further Reading.
Follow the formatting instructions given in the "Format Requirements" section of the Guidelines for Contributors.